


Babel

by Tiara_of_Sapphires



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Childhood Friends, F/M, Language Barrier, Mutual Pining, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-21 20:14:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17049827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tiara_of_Sapphires/pseuds/Tiara_of_Sapphires
Summary: They understood each other when they were young. Now, in the face of arranged marriage, Rey couldn't be sure





	Babel

**Author's Note:**

  * For [redbelles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/redbelles/gifts).



> Prompt: Arranged marriage is my jam, whether it's canon-verse or totally AU. Extra bonus points for mutually unrequited pining!  
> This is a treat for redbells!

Rey sat with her back ramrod straight, determined not to look at the man seated next to her. Not that she _didn't_ want to look at him, but she didn't want to see the expression of either indifference or thinly-veiled disgust that would paint her fiancé’s face.

His dumb, unfairly handsome face.

The announcement had rung throughout the galaxy when it had been made. Two kingdoms with a rocky history were to unite under marriage.

And so, the two sat there, Rey in her late grandmother’s gown but feeling less like a queen and more like a barely-willing participant in a transaction.

Rey, when she really thought about it, knew that this was something in the making for years, since she had been born, really.

The story had begun when she was seven years old.

It was her first time leaving the planet, going to a distant world called Alderaan. The sensation of going into hyperspace made her heart race and cling to her grandfather.

“ _Ba'buir_ , why do I have to go? What if he’s mean?”

Obi-Wan patted her shoulder, the corners of his eyes wrinkling with a smile.

“Don’t worry, Rey’ika. Things will work out just fine.”

Rey pouted. Sometimes whining got her out of doing things she didn't want to do, but apparently this time wasn’t one of those times. “Are you sure?”

“Of course. I have known the family for many years.”

As young as Rey was, she knew the truth in Obi-Wan’s words. The Kenobis and the Skywalkers were two powerful families, ruling powerful planets. While Obi-Wan and the late King Anakin had a strange relationship, he was friends with Anakin’s children, close enough that Leia named her son after the Mandalorian king.

Rey had met the adults through hologram transmissions, but she had never met the boy who was a few years older than her.

Alderaan was bright, covered in mountains and trees and clouds. It was like the stories her grandmother would read to her. Mandalore was a planet of crystal cities, full of light but also a bit lifeless.

She could see a giant garden in the royal palace from the landing platform and immediately she wanted nothing in the galaxy more than to visit. She loved gardens and little ponds. Mandalore couldn't fill the palace with enough of them.

“Can we go there?” Rey asked as Obi-Wan led her by the hand.

“Maybe in a bit. First, we need to greet our hosts.”

Obi-Wan met Queen Leia and her husband Han with warmth.

Ben stood a couple inches taller than her, clinging to his mother’s dress with one hand while pretending to not be as nervous as he was.

“Come on, Ben.” Leia urged her son to step forward a little towards the girl also hesitant to get any further from her guardian.

Ben pouted a bit before saying, “Hello.”

Rey watched him and waved. “Hi.”

She stepped a little closer to him, aware that she was being watched. Obi-Wan taught her to be brave and to make friends quickly, so she would make him proud by being friendly to this boy.

“You never know when you will need a friend, little one,” he had explained to her. “And having friends is a good thing to have.”

“You have a pretty house,” Rey offered.

Ben looked up and back to see Leia give him a pointed look.

“I guess I could show you around if you want. Do you want to meet my droid?” Ben asked.

The adults in the room didn't say anything immediately, so Rey could only assume that it was allowed.

“Can we do that in the garden?” she asked.

Ben shrugged.

“Sure, I guess.”

Ben started towards the door, hesitating for Rey to catch up.

Neither of them knew that when they were gone, their guardians were talking about the future.

Rey had to walk extra-fast to keep up with Ben, who had a longer stride than her and a faster pace in general.

“How will your droid know to meet us?” she asked.

He shrugged, waving his arm in the air, showing off a metal bangle around his wrist.

“This’ll tell him to come to the garden.”

“Really?”

“Yup. My grandpa was good at building droids. He made my mom’s protocol droid and was best friends with my grandma’s astromech. He taught me a little, too.”

They stepped out into a large courtyard. Birds chirped quietly and then an unnatural chirp cut through the air.

The white-and-orange spherical droid rolled into view and both children grinned at the sight.

“What do you think?”

“What is it?”

“A BB unit, BB-8.”

The droid chirped happily, rolling back and forth.

“Hi, BB-8,” Rey greeted.

BB-8 rocked in place and whistled a cheerful greeting. Rey could barely understand, as she wasn’t the best at speaking droid just yet. She could speak Mando'a and Basic just fine, thank you very much. She could take her time to learn droid.

“He’s good at fixing ships.”

On cue, BB-8 opened a little compartment and a little welder waved in the air.

“Do you have a ship?” Rey asked, already sure that the answer would be ‘no’. He was barely older than she was and she didn't have a ship.

“Yes. Well, my papa does. He says I can fly it someday.”

She couldn’t help the gasp in shock.

“Can I see it? My grandpa hates flying so I never get to fly in any ships.”

He didn’t hesitate.

BB-8 rolled before them as they rushed towards the hangar. Only Rey came to a screeching halt when she saw the hulking, furry being already in front of the huge disk-like ship.

“Who’s that?” she asked, slowing down to trail behind Ben as he advanced closer without the fear she felt.

“That’s my uncle Chewie.”

“Chewie?” she asked.

Chewie growled in a way that resembled talking.

“He says he’s glad to meet you,” Ben translated.

“You can understand him?” Rey asked in astonishment, wincing as Chewie snorted, like he could understand her. Unequal ground. Something she didn't really like.

“Kinda. Shriiwook is a hard language to learn.”

Chewie growled something else and Ben ducked his head.

“What did he say?” Rey asked.

“Uh, nothing you need to know.”

“Come on, tell me!”

“Nope.”

“Fine, I'll learn Shriiwook and find out for myself. Or I’ll find your mom's protocol droid.”

Ben rolled his eyes. “Fine. Come on.”

They filed up the loading platform into the ship. The hallways were like tunnels, a maze leading up and down and side to side.

“My dad flew this ship before he married my mom,” he explained.

“Was he a trader?”

Ben shrugged. “That’s what Dad says, but my mom always makes a face when he says that. So, I don’t know.”

Finally, they found their way to the cockpit, complete with huge windows and an array of buttons.

Rey snuck past Ben to sit in what she assumed was the pilot’s seat.

“Hey, shouldn’t I sit there, since I’m the one who actually knows how to fly?” Ben asked.

“I’m the guest, so I should get the, uh, seat of honor.”

Rey crossed her arms over her chest and pursed her lips comically. Ben looked like he was going to argue, before sighing and sitting in the co-pilots seat.

“Fine.”

She sat there, looking at the various buttons, not really knowing what to do next.

“Hit that big switch,” Ben said.

She did, and the rest of the buttons lit up.

“Now, we're on standby. Press these to actually turn on the engine.”

Ben pointed at several buttons and Rey pressed them in sequence.

The engine shuddered and hummed to life, jostling the two in their seats.

“Whoa! That’s so cool!” Rey exclaimed.

She reached forward to the navigation controls, but Ben’s arm blocked her, turning off the engine, making it quiet again.

“Why did you do that?” Rey asked, indignant.

Ben didn't look too happy with what he just did, but he said, “We’ll get in trouble.”

Chewie’s howl echoed through the ship and Ben cringed.

“See?”

“He’s not happy?” She could only imagine that he wasn’t, but the Wookiee’s tone seemed almost the same before they got on the ship as it was at that moment.

“No.”

Ben and Rey shuffled off the ship, Ben getting a lecture from Chewie while Rey pretended to look remorseful.

“At least he’s not gonna tell mom and dad,” Ben mumbled as they walked away.

“That’s good.”

The next day, they returned to the ship, turning the engine on and off. Ben gave her a rambling, confusing explanation on how to use that navicomputer before telling her that she had better use flight sims than anything else.

She wasn’t too sure she would be able to get her grandfather to agree, but she could plead a little. Maybe go to her grandmother who didn’t refuse her unless her requests were totally dangerous or outlandish.

This would be the last time she would be able to look at this ship for a long while. She would miss it. Leia and Han were very kind to her. Rey wished they were her parents, not the ones that were never there.

“You’re gonna call when you go back, right?”

“Of course. You’re my friend now. _Burc'ya_.”

Ben blinked at her. “Is that friend in Mando'a? _Bu_ —uh?”

“ _Burc'ya,_ Ben.”

“ _Burc'ya,_ Rey,” he echoed.

His accent was terrible, but she grinned.

* * *

They spoke over holo for years after that. The last time she had seen him in-person was at her grandfather’s funeral.

Ben, gangly and somber, had stood with Leia and Han as Obi-Wan’s body burned in the pyre. Rey had been young still, not yet grown into her body and into her power.

She had sniffed quietly, eyes red-rimmed.

Her parents hadn’t bothered to show up to the funeral, leaving her to stand alone.

Ben had approached her after the ceremony. He took her hand in a gentle grip that belied the fact that he dwarfed her, and kissed the back of her hand.

“You have my heartfelt condolences, my lady.”

And Rey knew in her heart that he had meant it. Everyone knew that he had a deep connection to his own grandparents, both of whom had died years earlier.

It wasn’t until years later that her grandfather’s will—and by extension that of the Organa family on Alderaan—would come to light and reveal that she wouldn’t be alone forever.

Now, years later, Ben sat next to her, both of them now grown, waiting for Finn to finish talking so he could make his statement.

It didn't take long, as Finn was an eloquent, yet succinct speaker. “On behalf of all of Mandalore, we welcome Prince Ben Organa of Alderaan with open arms. And we ask the stars to watch over us all during this transition that will benefit two worlds.”

The small crowd in the room clapped dutifully, anticipating the main event that was Prince Ben Organa. His chair creaked softly as he stood, polished shoes tapping softly during the short trek to the dais. The fine detail of his long coat caught the light.

He leaned slightly onto the dais. “Good evening. I thank Queen Rey and the Mandalorian people for welcoming me. I hope that this union between Alderaan and Mandalore will be beneficial for both systems. I look forward to the future, learning more about this vibrant world. Thank you.”

He stepped away at the final word, leaving the crowd to clap again, awkward in their surprise at how short his message was.

Rey stood when Finn approached the dais again to state that the meeting was over and refreshments for the guests and press were in the back. She strode out of the room, feeling no need to speak to the people who had gathered to see them.

She didn't realize Ben had followed her out of the room until his voice sounded behind her: “Rey.”

She froze when he said her name, anticipation and dread curling cold in her stomach.

“Yes, Ben?”

“Did I do something to upset you?”

She couldn't help but recoil a little at the question. She had to get a hold of herself if this arrangement was going to work. She couldn't let herself be so transparent with her feelings just because she was upset.

“I—no. You didn't. I’m sorry if it seemed so.”

Ben shook his head, like he was expecting a different answer, dissatisfied with the one he received.

“No. You hate this. I’m the one thing that’s keeping you from your freedom.”

Rey felt her face twitch.

“That’s not true.”

“Really,” Ben said flatly. “You’ve known about this arrangement for almost two years and not a single time did you contact me so we could make this as painless as possible.”

“It’s not like you contacted me either!”

She shook her head, lip curling.

“ _Mio ya jag olyay vamte_ ,” she hissed under her breath.

He was impossible. This was going to be impossible. She never fooled herself into believing that an arranged marriage was something that couldn't possibly happen to her. But, now that it was her reality, she wanted nothing more than to abandon her post to somewhere distant and quiet.

Her throne and people be damned. Her stupidly handsome fiancé too.

Ben eyed her, as if deep in thought. He took a deep breath, his entire body seeming to move with it.

“ _Mio ya jag subay susulur ja_ ,” Ben replied.

Rey felt her cheeks burn in something akin to embarrassment.

“You speak Mando’a,” she said flatly.

“I learned, yes,” Ben replied. “To surprise you.”

Embarrassment gave way to shame. She didn't know what to say and could only watch him wide-eyed and speechless.

Ben shifted a little where he stood. He looked good, in Alderaanian garb. She had pined before the announcement and then kept him at a distance. Now she was paying the price for it.

If she hadn’t been such a coward when her grandfather’s machinations came to light, they would have been embracing as friends, maybe more.

“ _Ni kar'taylir ibic olyay katcagite par mhi, a ni olkara mhi subay gotal'ur bic borarir_.”

Her breath hitched in her chest at the words, setting a flame into her chest.

“I—,” she started, but Ben shook his head.

“I will see you at dinner, Rey.”

He walked past her and Rey almost chased after him. Maybe to demand an explanation from him. Or to ask if the words she just heard from him were real.

Instead, she sucked in a shaking breath, wiping a hand over her mouth, swearing softly.

Mando’a sounded unfairly good when he spoke it.

She straightened her gown, what was once her grandmother’s and now hers. It was delicate and colorful, but there were gemstones where she longed for flowers.

It seemed only appropriate. Obi-Wan and Satine had a famously tumultuous courtship, something the holo-vids loved to cover throughout the galaxy.

Ben’s words in her mother tongue still echoed in her head.

"Are you okay?" Finn asked, startling her from her thoughts. She hadn’t even heard him approach.

She didn't know what to say.

"Does—does Alderaan have a native language?"

Finn blinked at her. "I don't know. I think they speak only Basic. Why?"

She chewed on the inside of her cheek, heart sinking in disappointment, before shaking her head.

"No reason."

Finn gave her a look like he didn't fully believe her before nodding in deference and walking back towards palace.

Rey waited until he was out of earshot before cursing under her breath. "No reason at all."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Any feedback is much appreciated!!  
> Also, thank God for Mando’a-English/Basic translator. Or else I would have been fuuuuucked lol  
> Translations:  
> Ba’buir-grandfather  
> Mio ya jag olyay vamte -this man is impossible  
> Mio ya jag subay susulur ja -this man can hear you  
> Ni kar'taylir ibic olyay katcagite par mhi, a ni olkara mhi subay gotal'ur bic borarir.- I know this is hard for us, but I hope we can make it work.


End file.
